The present invention relates to an electrical connection device for contact with and production of an electrical connection between two contact bodies.
Electrical connection or contact devices of that kind are used for, in particular electrical connection in which relatively large currents, for example more than 50 amps, are to be transmitted.
In an electrical plug connection the two contact bodies are constituted by a socket sleeve and a plug pin plugged into the sleeve. The contact device can be fastened either in the sleeve or on the pin. Such contact devices are also used in current distributor systems for the connection of current rails. The contact devices are then arranged between the interconnected rail sections. In addition, the contact devices can be used in switching devices, in which case they are fastened to the fixed or movable contact body of such a switching device.
A contact device, which has a row of resilient laminae, is disclosed in the specification of published French patent application No. 2 339 259. The laminae are connected together at their ends either by sheet metal strips contiguous therewith or by separate strips into which the ends of the laminae are hooked. The laminae, which consist of a material having good spring properties, are provided with a coating of another material with good electrical conductivity. The coatings can be formed by, for example, metal strip which encompass the longitudinal edges of the laminae. They can, however, be soldered, welded or glued in place. In all cases, substantially the entire area of the metal strips at the sides of the laminae bears against the laminae.
Through the combination of two different materials as in the afore-described prior art contact device, it is endeavoured to achieve optimum spring properties and optimum electrical conduction properties. In order that the spring effect of the laminae is not unduly impaired, only a relatively small zone in the centre of each laminae is coated with the electrically highly conductive, but essentially non-resilient or only poorly resilient, material. Accordingly, only a relatively small proportion of the entire plan area of the contact device can be utilized for current conduction. If a large current is to be transmitted, the contact device must therefore have relatively large dimensions in plan. In that case, it must also be taken into account that the lengths of inherently resilient laminae with non-resilient coatings cannot be proportionally enlarged, as otherwise, due to bending of the laminae, only a few contact places would be present between the coating and the contact bodies.